Sensitivity Training

Is it just me or are we steadily becoming more and more hypersensitive about more and more things? When I was growing up in the 80's and 90's it didn't seem like every little thing that happened offended everyone, or if it did they didn't inform the world that they were offended. What happened to having thick skin, or letting things roll off, or any other expression that means don't take offense at things, just let them go. If people want to be hypersensitive and get bent out of shape about everything I guess that's fine. My problem is that now people have come to expect some sort of recompense whenever they feel wronged. If some one says something mean, they don't want an apology,they want their moment in the spotlight to publicly bash that person and then they want a payout.

My big issue with this hypersensitivity epidemic is that I think we've lost a true sense of what we should be sensitive about. There are things I'm sure we could all agree on that require our sensitivity. Here's a couple of examples - discussions of child abuse with people that have been abused, movie or video game selection when hanging out with friends who have seen combat in Iraq or Afghanistan, listening to a girl relate a story about how she was raped. These things require us to be sensitive to the people around us, and most of us probably are. But when people become hypersensitive I think the lines between truly sensitive topics and people's personal preferences become blurred.

This post is inspired by the Muslim community center being built 2 blocks from ground zero in New York City. The debate is raging with some people saying Muslims should have just as much right to build there as anyone else, and some saying it is a provocation meant to celebrate the September 11th murders.

It may be that the people building this place truly just want to have a nice community center for everyone to enjoy, and they absolutely have a right to build it wherever they want. My question, is building it right there being sensitive to the people who lost family and friends in the attacks? Couldn't it be built in another part of the city and serve the same purpose?

What are you afraid of?

At Bible study the other day we were discussing fear. The discussion stayed with me over the past week or so and I've been thinking a lot about what I am afraid of. Then I started thinking about how much fear limits us in our lives. We hold back from a lot of things out of fear; granted that is good in some cases because our fear pushes us toward caution to protect ourselves. But sometimes that fear robs us of experiences that we would enjoy or would prompt growth in us.

A lot of this occurred to me on Tuesday when I was helping my friend (the onion farmer) move his trucks up to where the farm is. These are pretty big trucks, of a size that I have never driven. These trucks are also manual transmission which I know how to drive but I've only done so in small cars and it has been probably 6 years since I've done it. So I was reluctant to help because it didn't sound fun and actually sounded like potential for me to smash his truck or another vehicle on the road. But he needed help so I went out there to do it. We took two trips, and the whole first trip I was pretty worried. I was gripping the steering wheel tightly, I was afraid to turn on the radio and I was paranoid about stopping and going at stop lights and signs. I was praying extensively that I wouldn't kill anyone or damage any vehicles.

I and the 2 onion trucks I transported survived the ordeal. Now not to say that this was some amazing experience or anything. But I did overcome my fear and drive a big truck and was able to help out a friend. All the while the fear I was feeling was telling me to "find a way out of it, remain cautious and don't do anything you're not comfortable with".

Have you missed opportunities because you were afraid? Does fear inhibit you on a regular basis in your day to day life? Have you overcome fear to do something really awesome?